Author: hhendrickson

As a collaboration in music and visual arts class, year 6 students are inquiring into mask making and using masks in performing arts.

Two weeks ago, students visited Mr. James, our secondary drama teacher, to learn about using masks in drama.

During music group singing, students are currently planning a short 3-5 minute performing arts presentation using drama, dance, and music while wearing their masks.

During visual arts class, students investigated masks using books and the internet, planned their masks by drawing labelled sketches, and are now creating masks using plaster. Next week, students will paint their masks and add other art materials of their choice.

Please see the photos below to see mask planning and creating in visual art class:

In visual arts class this unit, students are creating mandalas and inquiring into the central idea: beliefs, values, and ideas are represented and communicated through symbols.

This week in art class, students have been focusing on the visual arts learning outcome: creating (phase 4) adjust and refine your creative process in response to constructive criticism as part of the PYP visual arts scopes and sequence.

After developing a purpose for their mandala based on a belief, value, and/or idea, students creating several sketches. They have presented their mandalas to each other in small groups, in pairs, in large groups, and some students have presented to other classes. They have received peer feedback and constructive criticism to improve their sketches and to get new ideas. Take a look at some pictures below of students giving and receiving constructive criticism:

Students are completing their final sketches and will begin creating their mandalas soon. For this unit, students experimented using oil pastel and will use oil pastels as the background of their mandala, unless a different art material suits the purpose of their mandala better. Eventually, they will add their choice of materials to the top of their mandalas.

In visual arts class this unit, students are creating mandalas and inquiring into the central idea:beliefs, values, and ideas are represented and communicated through symbols. Students will be assessed on the visual arts learning outcomes:responding (Phase 3) compare, contrast, and categorize artworks from a range of cultures, places, and times and creating (Phase 4) adjust and refine your creative process in response to constructive criticism.

Students began by learning about mandalas from around the world. They compared, contrasted, and categorized various mandalas by shape, size, purpose, material, and color.

Students created their own mandalas (each with a purpose) outside using natural materials.

This week, students completed an oil pastel study, which is one of the materials they will use for their final mandalas. Students also used two websites to create digital mandalas.

Next week, students will create a purpose for their mandalas. They will complete several pencil and color sketches and begin their final mandala.

About Us

Welcome to our blog! We are a year ? class in the PYP at LIS Angola. We aim to use this blog to share our learning with our LIS community and beyond. You are welcome to leave questions and comments. Thanks for dropping by!